Wrath continued stirring beneath Ludwig's skin. The faint heat spreading through the chamber was enough to draw the attention of every featureless giant around Sloth's throne. Their smooth heads turned as one, and the atmosphere within the upper floor subtly changed, yet none of them attacked. Ludwig found their restraint more troubling than an immediate response.
Sloth possessed an entire palace built from his Authority. The floor, walls, pillars, stairways, and distant bridges were formed from beings that had surrendered themselves to him. Dozens of enormous throne carriers stood within the chamber. Below them sat hundreds, perhaps thousands, of inhabitants who would do nothing to resist whatever Sloth decided.
A battle here should have favored him completely, yet Sloth's crimson gaze moved past Ludwig and toward the palace beneath them.
